FootyPop: Champions Crowned, Ovechkin Invests, and the NCAA Final Four Is Decided

The Monday after Mother’s Day calls for a shoutout to all the mamas out there. Here’s to the women who sit out on the sideline no matter what weather, the ones who drive to way-too-far-away tournaments seemingly every weekend, and the ones who love us unconditionally – whether we let a goal in or never even see the field. Thank you for all you do and all you are. In addition to celebrating moms this weekend, we also celebrated a lot of WoSo champions as they lifted coveted trophies. Let’s dive into the latest women’s soccer news.

Portland Thorns Clinch Challenge Cup Title

The 2021 Challenge Cup was decided by PKs in Providence Park on Saturday. Morgan Weaver ended up burying the winning spot-kick. Overall, it was a dominant performance by the home side. All credit goes to Gotham FC keeper DiDi Haracic for keeping her side in the game with some incredible saves.

The two oldest players in the game – Christine Sinclair and Carli Lloyd – put away a goal each (one in the first half, one in the second) before a shootout ultimately decided the game.

Congratulations to the Portland Thorns for their win, and congratulations to Gotham FC for not just a valiant effort but an inspiring organizational turnaround from the ground up! Big things lay ahead.

Champions Crowned in Europe

The FA WSL season came to a close on Sunday, and Chelsea claimed their second league trophy in a row after a 5-0 defeat of Reading. The Spanish Primera División still has a handful of games to be played, but we already know our winner… Barcelona claimed their sixth title, sitting 16 points ahead of second-place Levante, who just won’t be able to catch up.

These teams will face off for some more hardware in the Champions League final next week.

Sam Kerr Wins Golden Boot

She’s had a lot of haters since her move to Chelsea. And sure, she’s had her slumps, but make no mistake: Sam Kerr is living up to all hype right now.

After the win against Reading (in which she got herself a goal), the Australian star was bestowed with the FA WSL Golden Boot for her 21 goal haul this season. The award means she has won six Golden Boot awards in five years, in three different leagues—incredible stuff.

Hockey Star Invests in Washington Spirit

Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin has announced his investment in the Washington Spirit. The move is, in part, inspired by his mom, a 2x Olympic gold medal basketball player.

Ovechkin said, “I think it’s important to support women and women’s pro athletes – not just in the U.S. but all over the world.” 

This latest announcement follows what has been a string of big-name investors joining the various NWSL teams. It’s a great sign of the league’s continued growth.

NCAA Final Four Is Set

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— UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) May 9, 2021

We now know who will be competing for this year’s NCAA D1 trophy as of Sunday night. Definitely some familiar faces in here in Florida State and UNC. Santa Clara beat Clemson to qualify for their first Final Four since 2004. UVA beat darling darkhorse TCU to qualify for their first Final Four since 2013.

The semis will be played on Thursday in Cary, North Carolina.

Featured Image via @ThornsFC on Instagram

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